Travois honors industry "superheroes" at annual conference

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (May 13, 2019) – Travois, a Certified B Corporation® based in Kansas City, Mo., recognized five outstanding industry professionals and an American Indian tribal entity at a Superhero Awards ceremony on April 11. The consulting firm, continuing 24 years in business and directing more than $1.4 billion of investment in American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities, held the ceremony at its 19th Annual Indian Country Affordable Housing & Economic Development Conference in Miami, Florida.

"Since 2015 we've honored industry professionals doing amazing work in their communities," said Elizabeth Glynn, Travois chief executive officer. "These honorees have filled their communities with beautiful homes, successful businesses and created thousands of jobs with the use of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit and New Market Tax Credit programs. Our annual awards ceremony celebrates the important work of Indian Country's housing and economic development professionals and provides inspiration to all in attendance."

Sara Spence represents the highest professional standards and brings new ideas and a fresh perspective to the task of providing affordable housing.

"I am deeply honored to be named the 2019 Housing Professional of the Year," Spence said. "To have my work recognized by colleagues and peers is incredibly flattering. Helping tribal communities in the housing arena is an extremely gratifying career. We are able to see firsthand the difference our work makes in the lives of the families we serve."

Spence first served Karuk Tribal Housing Authority as an executive assistant. In 2017, Spence stepped into the role of executive director at the urging of many co-workers and colleagues. Since that time, she's been directing, leading and continuing to facilitate the tribe's vision for future housing.

With a dedicated housing team by her side, she worked diligently making sure every detail was considered on the mountains of paperwork for Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs), New Markets Tax Credits (NMTCs), the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) and Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG). Spence managed applications, requests for proposals, requests for qualifications, and design and construction and kept everything running on time and on budget.

Spence continued: "At the core of everything we do, we strive to provide an essential need; a safe, sanitary, affordable home. It is that home that will allow them to grow and succeed not only for themselves but also for their families and their communities."

"I must first thank my husband and family for supporting me throughout my career; they have given me a foundation that has allowed me to focus on my work and successfully serve the Karuk Tribe and Karuk Tribe Housing Authority for more than 20 years. I simply would not be where I am today without them.

"I must also thank the entire staff of the Karuk Tribe Housing Authority, the Karuk Tribal Council, and the Housing Board of Commissioners for their dedication, support and hard work. I am grateful to be part of such an amazing team; it is incredible what can be accomplished when everyone works together!"

"We are happy to have established a longtime partnership with Travois; their entire team has been amazing to work with, namely Lauren Dahl and Crystal Banks-Mann, who have been with us throughout our first LIHTC project, Karuk Homes #1, from start to finish. Their support has been integral to our success," Spence said.

Economic Development Professional of the Year – Pat Mercier, CEO of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians; Corning, CA

Pat Mercier sparks positive change in her community; she currently leads a team of three that has lofty goals. The economic development team is working to build a strong community through infrastructure, health care, education, business and other community projects. The list is long but attainable.

Plans are in motion to expand an existing clinic, develop a complex, build a community center, administration building, and wellness center, and provide elder and member housing.

"We are grateful for the recognition of our work in rebuilding the community of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians," Mercier said. "We look forward to an exciting future from our new Community Center!"

Pillar Professional - Kristen Wamego, general manager of tribal operations for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation (PBPN), Mayetta, KS

Kristen Wamego knows how to manage a project, stretch a dollar, and battle the elements to deliver a quality product on time.

In the past year, Wamego has completed a Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) development that brought 27-single family homes to her community. This complicated process involved everything from reviewing contractor bids to performing punch list walk-throughs for completion. Her open communication skills with all parties involved ensured smooth operations through both the closing and construction process.

"I would like to thank Travois for the recognition," Kristen Wamego said. "While I am appreciative and humbled to receive this award, I do not work alone and must recognize the PBPN team and their hard work on making our third Low Income Housing Tax Credit project a success."

In addition, she was able to submit a LIHTC application for a rehabilitation development for community elders. More housing opportunities for Prairie Band tribal members are the direct result of her remarkable work.

Wamego continued: "Community development is vital to our nation, and providing quality, affordable homes has been instrumental in that process. It has been a rewarding experience, and I am grateful to the hard work and assistance that Travois has provided. I look forward to working with Travois in continuing to develop the PBPN community."

Haven Professional of the Year - Elfina Kalemsa, resident services program manager for Hopi Tribal Housing Authority; Polacca, AZ

Elfina Kalemsa helps ensure Indian Country housing remains strong for the future. Kalemsa's work ethic and dedication to helping families in her community is inspiring. She listens to the needs of both tenants and co-workers, and she works tirelessly to ensure the wheels stay in motion, the units get rented up, and the needs of her community are served. She has balanced 80 units - low rent and tax credit - all while staying active in her community and raising a family.

She is a member of the Hopi Tribe, Roadrunner Clan from the Village of Sichomovi in Arizona, and she has worked in affordable housing since 2009.

"Decent, affordable housing is a need of all in Indian Country," Kalemsa said. "I am blessed to be able to help our own tribal members live in that kind of 'haven' on our reservation!"

Project Team of the Year - Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation; Smith River, CA

Tolowa Dee-ni Nation represents the best in Indian Country development. The team has used new ideas and courageous action to ensure its developments success.

The team had a long and thoughtful planning process to bring quality, affordable housing to their community where wait lists are long and housing supply is extremely limited. While these characteristics are not uncommon in Indian Country, the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation's efforts were complicated by the extremely high costs of construction in their area, the very most northwestern corner of California.

"We would not be here but for all of the hard work, talent and expertise of everyone at Travois," said Don Daines, housing director of Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation. "Our success is a tribal success involving contributions of effort from everyone."

The Tolowa Dee-ni Nation, including the tribal council, planning department, housing department, construction team and TERO office, alongside their investor partner, worked diligently from the first discussions to develop a sustainable project that celebrates and preserves the culture of the nation and creates a homeownership opportunity for tribal members that would not otherwise be possible without the work of this amazing team.

The team's perseverance, determination, and true representation of what it means to work as a team

will provide the community a development with ocean views from every home once complete. The process to develop and build on this property so close to the coast came with its own set of unique and highly complex challenges. The nation worked through these challenges diligently to ensure that the end goal of quality housing could become a reality for their community.

Daines added: "We know for whom we are doing everything and that serves as a powerful motivation for everyone."

Haven Professional of the Year - Elfina Kalemsa, resident services program manager for Hopi Tribal Housing Authority; Polacca, AZ

Project Team of the Year - Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation; Smith River, CA

For more information, visit travois.com.

About the Low Income Housing Tax Credit

The Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) was signed into law by President Reagan in the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and is included in Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code. It was first expanded and made permanent under President Clinton in 1993, and further strengthened under President Bush and President Obama, reflecting its strong bipartisan support. It was created to encourage private investment in the construction or rehabilitation of housing for low-income families. Today it is widely regarded as the nation's most successful housing production program. The housing credit has financed more than 3 million affordable apartments through public-private partnerships, and supports 96,000 jobs each year, mostly in the small-business sector. For more information, visit taxcreditcoalition.org.

About the New Markets Tax Credit

The NMTC was authorized in the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (PL 106-554) as part of a bipartisan effort to stimulate investment and economic growth in low income urban neighborhoods and rural communities that lack access to the patient capital needed to support and grow businesses, create jobs and sustain healthy local economies. The NMTC program attracts capital to low income communities by providing private investors with a federal tax credit for investments made in businesses or economic development projects located in some of the most distressed communities in the nation – census tracts where the individual poverty rate is at least 20 percent or where median family income does not exceed 80 percent of the area median. For more information, visit nmtccoalition.org.

About Travois

Travois is a Certified B Corporation and Kansas City-based consulting firm focused exclusively on promoting housing and economic development for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities. Since 1995, Travois has brought investor equity to 210 projects through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program and New Markets Tax Credit program, making an impact of more than $1.4 billion across Indian Country. These private investor funds have helped build or rehabilitate more than 5,400 homes and have helped finance critical economic development projects, including infrastructure, health care, community centers, education facilities and job incubators. Travois family of companies also offers architectural design, master planning, construction monitoring services, environmental assessments, consulting on green building, asset management and compliance services, impact investment models, and comprehensive training to clients in 22 states, from Hawaii and Alaska to Maine and California. For more information, please visit travois.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram or on the company blog.